Job #28101

Cook – Āwhina Te Mata Early Learning Centre

Havelock North | Monday–Friday | Approx. 8.00/8.30am–3.30pm

Do you love cooking wholesome, home-cooked food from scratch? Are you organised, practical, and the sort of person who notices what needs doing and simply gets on with it?

We are looking for a Cook to join our team at Āwhina Te Mata, working alongside and under the guidance of our Head Cook. This role cooks for other centres within our group.

Our kitchen is an important part of our centre. We believe good food should be fresh, nutritious, simple and home-cooked, and we prepare our meals from scratch for our tamariki each day.

About the role

This is a hands-on role that is about more than just cooking. You will work closely with our Head Cook to help prepare and serve our daily menu, while also helping keep the kitchen and wider centre running smoothly.

Your day will include:

• Preparing and cooking fresh, nutritious meals and snacks from scratch
• Working alongside our Head Cook with daily food preparation and kitchen organisation
• Following menus, recipes, food safety requirements and dietary needs
• Helping with baking and food preparation for the week
• Maintaining a beautifully clean, organised and hygienic kitchen
• Cleaning and tidying after kai times, including dishes and kitchen areas
• Helping with centre laundry throughout the day
• Keeping food storage, fridges, freezers and pantry areas organised
• Supporting general tidying and practical jobs around the centre when time allows
• Being able to step up and confidently run the kitchen when our Head Cook is away

Who we are looking for

We would love someone who is a genuinely good home-style cook and enjoys making food from scratch.

You don't necessarily need to come from a restaurant or commercial kitchen background. You might be an experienced cook, someone who has worked in a school or early learning environment, or simply someone with a real talent for cooking and running an organised kitchen.

Most importantly, you will be:

• Confident cooking wholesome meals from scratch
• Reliable and able to work independently
• Extremely organised with great attention to detail
• Clean, tidy and particular about kitchen hygiene
• Comfortable following recipes and catering for dietary requirements
• Able to manage your time and juggle several things at once
• Happy to pitch in and help wherever needed
• Calm, friendly and comfortable working around young children
• Someone who takes pride in their work and enjoys being part of a team

Hours

Ideally, we are looking for someone who can work Monday to Friday, approximately 8.00/8.30am–3.30pm.

We also need someone who has enough flexibility to cover additional hours when our Head Cook is away, so reliability and flexibility are important.

About Āwhina Te Mata

Āwhina Te Mata is a beautiful early learning centre in Havelock North. We have created a warm, homely environment where relationships, good food and caring for our surroundings are all part of everyday life.

This is a lovely role for someone who enjoys cooking but also wants to be part of something more than simply working in a kitchen. You will become an important part of our centre team and the daily rhythm of life at Āwhina Te Mata.

If you love cooking, take pride in a clean and organised kitchen, and are someone who naturally sees what needs doing and gets stuck in, we would love to hear from you.